Rock drill



F. E. slNcLAlR 2,186,503

ROCK DRILL Filed Dec. 30, 1937 2 Sheetsg-Sheet l Jan. 9, 1940.

/l/Urn, Y

Jams, 1940. E E SINCLMR y2,186,503l

ROCK DRILL Filed Dec. 30, 1937 2 Sheets-She"tI y2 I' lzzfzm: EMME @MMR @y W. ww 55E... l 5.* AV

Patented Jan.r 9, A1940 RooKDRI-LL.

Frank.. E; Sinclair, ornement, N. n.; assigner to Sullivan Machinery Company; afcorpo'ratioir of` Massachusetts Appiieaml December 30,- 1931, seviainois-asso i2 claims. (crier- 71) i 'Iffhis invention relates to rock drills,` and more particularly to' .improvements in the rotation mechanism for.' the drill steel. oa hammer rock drill.:4

5 n An object. of this invention. isf toprovide anV further'objeotisrto provide; in aI drill steel' rof tationA mechanism of the'intermitt'ent ratchet ,andfpawl type' operated. bythe hammer piston i `15; ofthe drilli moton. improved rotation. release means. controlled bythe throttle valve ofthe drill, Where'bydrill steelfrotationmay be interrupted at will while; the hammer.` motor. continues toY operate; A: still further-object is` to provide an irn-y 211 provedv fluid: actuated; plunger devicev havingi ar conveniently" located control valve whereby the rotation release means may be quieklyandf easily v operated; Another object' islto provide .improved rotation. releas'efmeans;` for a. rock drill ofi. the.

2@ stehen. type, .wherebyf rotation oi. the .drill steel mary be: int'erruptedfduring, starting orrspottingv ot.a.dri'll holle..v These. and". other objects and ad'- vantages of: .thel invention will, however, hereinafter; morefully'appear.. 3m thezaccompanying drawings thereiare shown. for; purposes of' illustration two: forms which; the muentionmayassume in.practice;V i

VIn these drawings; 1 Figs 1; i'sf! a` viewin longituclinal.` vertical' sec- S ti'onrthrough. a. rock drill. in. which. the preferred;

illustrative embodiment.y of the: invention. is: ing.-

eorporated'. l 1

'l'ig;` 211s a fragmentary view in. longitudinal vertical' section illustrating a. portion ofthe im- 4m proved: .rotation release means, the view taken substantially online 2'2 of Fige.

Fig; 31 is anfenlarged crosssectional View taken substantially on line 3-3Q of Fig. `1.y Figi 4 is fan enlargeot crosssectional view-'taken 45S substantially'on: lined-Ji' ofv Fig-1.

Fig; .51 is; a fragmentary sectional View vtaken inf the'planeio Fig.' 2; showing the-control valve iniaJ diierent position. v Y y n :Fig -i'sax view inY longitudinal `vertical-sec- 50; tion through:airockr'drillwithin,whicha modified formK of: the invention is.l embodied.

- Fig:A 'Vis an.enlargedfre'arl end'elevational'view oitlie rocktdrill. shown in Fig. 6.:

. .Ffigi: Slis affragmentary sectional viewf taken 55. substantialy'on line 8--'8A of Figi. 6.',`

Fig..9fisfa.viewinlongitudinalhoriaontalse tienta-ken. substantially on line 'il-9' of Fig. '1,`

showing a. portion of the` improved rotation re-` .leases.control"m'eans.- v y ."igf. 1) is a. detail sectional- View taken? on line v lee-leilfof'lligzi I' i Fig'.. llf is a4 fragmentary View takenin theA planee of; Fig. 8; showing the controlE valve-in a 'diiierent position:

tliez*illustra-tive` embodiment' of the inven- N `imrr so stares 'eA-rear ortica) tion shown in Figs; 1' to' 5; inclusivejthe': im@

prove-dz. vimitation release mechanisi v generally designated: is shown'A embodied in ahammer.;y

rooie. drill*y or. the` stoper'type having a'. drilling f imiter. generallyz designated 2` andydrill` steel rotationmechanism generally designated 3i, with which'. the' improved rotation release' means is assoeiated... Although. the invention, isv shownY em'- bodied inarockdrilho the:stoper typegit will'v bei evident, however',Y that the invention may be embodied in.' rock drillsof variousother types.-

surelfluid actuated. hammer ytype comprising'. a

f cylinder.Iiicontainingfin"its.loorei5;;a'reciprocatory` hammer pistonii. Thehammervpistm .hasr va- .forwardly projecting striking.' bar 't adapted t'o strike againsta tappetlithroughwhich the: im..

pacthlows oithe hammer` piston are transmitted to t'liefshankof. a drill steel 9, in: a.A Well lnowiji nia-nnen The" piston: striking.y han is` guided. in;` a:

' bore; ai front'. cylinder" head ligl and. arranged in the bore H and abutting. the rear...face of' The drillingmotor. disclosed herein isioi'theprese' havinga `rear cover. I3; the latter also arrangedv the:- valvegbcx.. The. valvev box. cover i3 has` a y sleeve-like projection Iiik v extending. axially throughe thevali/e box.' and. tted at its forward endl within' a: borei formed in. the valve loon, vand arranged, Withinaivalvexchamber I5 .formed by the.-cooperating: parts 12,. Maand: Mwisfanauto-r 1 matie'.r fluidi actuatedfgiluidz distributing valve it fori controlling; the: ow. of; motive.I fluid to` the ciprocationv oith'ehammeri piston, Arrangedin' y' tachedtolthe: rear.: endl of' the motor cylinder;

is,` a. throttlefvalve L9 having. a control" handle,

. an'dit'his thro-teler valveissformedzwith' an internalV chamber. 2l,:towhich pressure'luidmay be supplied through a; supply.. connectionzi from any suitable Lsourcefolf pressure fluidfsupply. .-This." throttle valve controls'ft'he'flow of. pressurenuid' t from the chamber 20 through a port 22 in the plate member 21 arranged in the bore I I between the head block I8 and a ratchet ring 28, the forward face of the latter abutting the rear surface of the valve box cover. `The parts I2, I3, 21

- and 28, arranged in the bore II, are held in assembled relationby the rear head block I8, and are held against rotation in the bore II by a dowel pin 29. Rotatably mounted in alined bores formed in the parts I3 and 21 is a rifle bar 30 having spiral grooves 3l slidingly interlocked with spiral lugs formed on a rifle nut 32 secured within the hammer piston; and formed integral with this rifle bar is a pawl carrier 33 carrying a plurality of spring-pressed pawls 34 engageable with the internal ratchet teeth 35 of the ratchet ring 28. From the vforegoing, it will be evident that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 and the hammer piston is moving forwardly to eiect its working stroke, i. e. to -deliver a blow through the tappet 8 to the drill steel shank, the rifle bar 38 is rotated by the rifle nut 32 fixed to the piston, and the pawls of the pawl carrier slip over the teeth of the ratchet ring so that the piston strikes an unimpeded blow to the ratchet. Upon reverse movement of the hammer piston, thepawl carrier is held stationary by the pawls engaging the teeth of the ratchet ring, thereby holding the rifle bar 38 against rotation; and as a result, the

hammer piston, due to its connection` by the rifle nut with the rifle bar, is given a rotary motion. The rotary motion of the piston, as it moves rearwardly, is transmitted through lstraight grooves 36 on the piston striking bar,

slidingly interlocked with straight keys on a chuck nut 31 secured within a chuck sleeve 38. The chuck sleeve is rotatably mounted within a frontchuck housing 39 secured to the forward end of the motor cylin-der and has secured thereto a chuck 40, in which the shank of the drill steel is supported. The tappet 8 is guided within a bore in the chuck sleeve in the manner illustrated. It is accordingly evident that as the hammer piston reciprocates, the drill steel is intermittently rotated.

The rotation release means, generally designated I, issimilar to that disclosed in a copending application to one John L. Reilly, Serial No. 56,166, filed Dec. 26, 1935, now matured into Patent No. 2,128,321, granted August 30, 1938, and" comprises a floating ring 42 arranged in a recess 43 formed by cooperating annular grooves formed in the rear faces of the ratchet ring and `pawl carrier and surrounding the rearward portion of the latter, in the manner shown in Fig. 2. This ioating ring 42 is not trulyr annular in the sense of having truly circular inner and outer peripheries, but, as shown in Fig. 3, it possesses an outer peripheral surface coaxial with the rifle bar and pawl carrier axes, and it is adapted to be held against rotation at will by improved means to be later described. The inner wall of the iloating ring 42 is recessed at 44 to provide portions which permit free engagement of the pawls 34 with the ratchet teeth 35 of the ratchet ring and portions 45 forming cam-like surfaces which, when engaged with the tips of the pawls, compress the latter into positions in which contact thereof with the ratchet teeth is precluded. The inner wall of the floating ring is formed with four identical recesses and cam-like surfaces terminating at the recesses, lwhich permit movement of the pawls into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet ring; but the cam-like sur- `faces in the ring are adapted to interrupt pawl `contact with the ratchet teeth. Let it be assumed that the floating ring 42 is released for free rotation and it will turn with the pawl carrier, pawls and rifle bar; and the rifle bar and rie nut and the associated ratchet and pawl mechanism will cause the hammer piston to rotate intermittently, and accordingly the hammer motor will operate in the conventional manner of rock drills of the automatic rotation, hammer type. This will be understood as soon as it is noted that the normal reaction `of the tips of the pawls on the cam-like surfaces 45 ofuthe floating ring is to maintain the ring in such relative rposition to the pawl carrier as to permit'maximum expansion of the pawls. Forexample, Fig. 3 shows the normal position relative to the pawl carrier of the ring 42 when such ring is yfree to turn. When, however, rotation of the iioating ring is precluded, the forward stroke of the hammer piston will cause the rifle bar to rotate, rotating therewith thepawl carrier, and the pawls will be depressed inwardly by their engagement with the cam-like surfaces of the ring. When the return stroke of the hammer piston begins, the pawl carrier will begin to rotate freely instead of acting to hold the riiie bar stationary, for the tips of the pawls will be kept out of engagement with the ratchet teeth, and so there will be nothing for them to react upon and compel rotation of the hammer piston. When it is desired to resume drill steel rotation, the floating ring 42 is released for free rotation with the pawl carrier, andthe pawls will simply pick'- up and carry the ring around `with them as thev rifle bar rotates'. As soon as the ring is released, the pawls are permitted to move into engagement with the ratchet teeth. As this rotation release means is clearly described in the above mentioned copending application, Serial No.

56,166, further illustration and description thereof are considered unnecessary.

Now referring to the improved fluid actuated control means for controlling rotation of `the floating ring 42 of the rotation release means, it will be noted that arranged in a. longitudinal bore 46 formed in the member 21, is a locking plunger 41 having an actuating piston 48. The bore 46 lat the forward side of the piston l.48 is vented to atmosphere through a passage 49. The ow lof actuating fluid to and from the bore 45 at the rear side of the actuating piston 48 is controlled by the throttle valve I9 of the hammer motor. The throttle valve i9, as shown in Fig. 2, has an axial bore 58 communicating with the chamber 28 in the throttle valve, and this bore 50 is connected by a radial passage 5I with a circumferentially extending groove 52 formed on the valve periphery. A passage 53 connects the valve bore I1 .with the bore 46 at the rear side of the piston 48, and the valve bore is vented to atmosphere through a vent port 54 connectible to the passage -53 by a circumferentially extending groove 55 formed on the valve periphery, When the throttle valve I9 is'in the position` shown in Fig. 2, the bore 46 at the rearv'side of the piston 48 is vented to atmosphere through passage 53, groove 55 and vent port 54. -When the throttle valve is rotated into the position shown in Fig. 5,A

the groove-52 is brought into communication with l the passage 53'; as a result pressure uid" may liiow fromv the bore 5i)v in the throttle valve and through passage'vl, groove 52and passage 535* to the bore 46 at the rear side of the piston 48, the pressure fluid acting on the rear pressure area of thepiston to force thelocking plunger forwardly within itsbore into locking engagement with the 'floating'ring d'2, thereby to hold'the latter against rotation and to interrupt drill steel {rotationpin the manner above described.y When the supply of actuating uid to the locking plunger piston is cut off, the passages in the throttle valve still permit the hammer motor to operate, so that steel rotation is interrupted while'the hammer piston continues to actuate percussively the drill steel.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 6 to ll, inclusive, the rotation release means is shown embodied in a hammer rock drill of the drifter type, and the hammer motor and pistonstructures are substantially similarto mer motor.

arranged in a longitudinal bore 6l) in a rear head block 6| is a rotary control valve lill having l an operating handle 63 conveniently located at the those described above, ,withfthe exception-that in this instance the tappet for transmitting the hammer blows of the piston to vthe drill steel shank is omitted. The rotation release means, as in the embodiment of the invention above described, is identical to that disclosed in the copending application Serial No. 56,166 above referred to.

responding parts are designated by primed refer-y ence characters, in the similar structure. `In this instance, however, vthe control of the `locking plunger for the floating ring 42 is operable wholly independently of the throttle valve of the ham- As shown most clearly in Fig. 9,

rear end of thehammer motor. .In this instance, the handle 63 is located in adjacency to the control handle of the conventional throttle valve 64k of the drill hammer motor.y Also arranged in the bore 604 is the actuating piston 65 for the locking plunger 66the latter being guided within a bushrand this chamber communicates directly with the bore 60 at the rear side of thepiston 65 of. the

locking plunger. When the valve, 62isr in the position shown .inFig 8, thebore '60 at the'rear side of piston 65 is vented to atmosphere through the chamber 12 in the valve and port. 'i3 communi.-`

eating with the Avent passage H When the valve 52 is rotated in the position shown in Fig. 11, the valve chamber l2 is connected to the fluid supply recess 6&3` through the port I4 and passage 10,'-

so that pressure fluid'mayflow from the supply recess through the passage 'l'and port 14 to the valve ,chamber '.'2 and thence to the bore 60 at the f rear side of the pistonv 65'; the pressure fluid act ing on the rear pressure area ofthe piston to 'moveLthelocking plunger forwardlyinto locking engagement with the heating-ring 42, to hold the latter against rotation, thereby to interrupt .drill Cor-y steel rotatiomy llfhefvalve 6-2gmay be held in either of its positions by a spring-pressed plunger 'I5 projecting within-la circumferentially extending I groove 1 5 onithevalve periphery and adapted to As a A,result ofA this. invention, it will vbe noted that an improved rotation release means ,is .pro-A vided for a hammer rock drill whereby drill 'steel vrotation. may be `interrupted at. .will While the hammer piston ofy the hammerfkmotor continues to operate.. It .will` further be noted that by: providinga fluidactuated looking means for'the iioating ring yof the rotationirelease means, drill steel rotation maybe quickly and easily' interrupted at the willof. the operator." Further, by the'provision of the control for the fluid actuated lockingplunger by :the throttle valve of the drill,

it is possible for the operator to control *rotation vrelease without: vremoving; his` hand from the v. throttlevalve handle. Other usesand advantages ofthe invention willv be clearlytapparent to those skilled in theart.vv t f l l .While there are lin thisy application speeically r describedtwo forms .which'the invention may assume practice, it will befunderstood that ythese forms of the same are shown for vpurposes of In va rock:4 drill, in combination, a pressure fluid actuated"l hammer ymotor for percussively actuating a drillsteel, drill steel rotation mechanism for rotatingr the drill steel as'the latter lis percussively actuated including relatively rotatable.ratchetl and pawlQcarrierelements, one of which is stationary andthe other y01E-which is rotatable; vmeansfor interrupting drillsteel l rotation While percussivey actuation rof the drill-'steel continues including pawl trip means normally rotatable Awith said-rotatable element and fluid actuated means for holdingfsaid trip means against rotation to effect` release of, the pawls of the pawl carrier element from the teethof said ratchet element, and a throttle valve'embodied'inthe drill :for controllingthe 110W of actuating fluid to both said4 hammer motor pand said iiuid actuated means. f

2.,In av rock drill, in combination, a'pre'ssure rfluidactuatedy hammer motor for percussively actuating a drilly steel, drill steel rotationk mechanism for rotating thedrillsteel'as the latter is percussively actuated including relatively 1 rotat-l able V'ratchetl and pawl carrier elements, the

- Ipawls of the carrier elementl yieldingly engaging vthe teeth ofthexratohet element. andy having means for yieldinglypressing theniintov engage-- ment withthe rratchet, teeth,y a throttle valve for controlling the 4supply of lactuating fluid to said hammer motor, means for4 interrupting drill steel element :against Athe action of said yielding pawl pressingv means., andiluid actuated means for holdingsaid pawl ytrpmeans against rotation to effectxpawl release, and a ccntrolvalve embodied u in the drill and operable independently of said throttle valve for controlling Ythe flow of actuating fluid to said fluid actuated means.

3'. `In a rock drill, the combination with dril steel rotation mechanism including relatively rotatable ratchet and pawl carrier elements, a riiie bar;` connected to the rotatable one of said elements, operative connections betweensaid` rie bar and a drill'steel to be rotated, and Ameans for holding the other of said elements against rotation, of means for interrupting drill steel rotation comprising a normally rotatable member adapted to be held stationary-for effecting release of the pawls from the teeth of said ratchet element, and fluid-actuated means for holding said paWl-release member stationary.

4. In a rock drill, the. combination with drill steel rotation mechanism including relatively rotatable ratchet and pawl carrier elements, a rie bar connected to the rotatable one of said elements, operative connections between said rifle bar and a drill steel to be rotated, and means for holding the other of said elements against ro-tation, of means forV interrupting drill steel rotation comprising a normally rotatable member adapted to be held stationary for effecting release of the pawls from the teeth of said'ratchet element, fluid-actuated means for holding said pawl-release member stationary, and a control valvev embodied `in ythe drill for controlling the supply of actuating uidto said fluid-actuated means.

5. In a rock drill, the combination with drill steel rotation mechanism including relatively rotatable ratchet and pawl carrier elements, operative connections'between one of said elements and a drill steel to be rotated and means for holding the other element against rotation, of means rotatable about the axis of rotation of said rotatable element for effecting interruption of drill steel` rotation during drill operation and while the operative connections between said rotatable element and said drill steel'are maintained, fluidactuated means for controlling said rotationinterrupting means, and means embodied in the drill and operable at will for controlling the flow of. actuating iluid to said huid-actuated means. 6. ln a rock drill, the combination with drill steel rotation mechanism including relatively rotatable ratchet and pawl carrier elements, `operative connections between one ,of said elements and a drill steel to be rotated and meansr for holding the other element against rotation, of means including a rotation control element arranged for rotation relative to but normally cating with said rotatable element, and means for holding the same stationary duringl drill operation for interrupting drill steel rotation, a fluid- 4 actuated piston for controlling said `holding means and a valve member embodied in the drill` of` actuating-huid to n bodied in the drill and arranged coaxially with said piston for controlling the supply of actuating iluid to said piston.` ,A

8.In a rock drill, thellcombination with drill Asteel rotation mechanism including relatively rotatable ratchet and pawl carrier elements, means for.,y holding one of said elements against rotation, 'a rifle bar connected to the rotatable one of saidlelements and operative connections between said riiie bar and a drill steel to be rotated, of means for interrupting `drill steel rotation comprising a normally rotatable trip member adapted to be held stationary for effecting release of the paWls from the teeth of the ratchet element, a member movable into engagement with said trip member for holding the latter stationary, and vremotely located control means operable at Will for effecting actuation'of said holding member.

9. In a rock drill, in-combination, a pressure fluid actuated hammer motor for percussively actuating a drill steel, drill steel rotation mechanism for rotating the drill steel as the latter is percussively actuated includingrelatively rotatable ratchet and pawl carrier elements arranged in coaxial relation .and continuously held against substantial relative axial displacement longitudinally of the motor, the pawls of the carrier element yieldingly engaging the teeth of the ratchet element and `having means for yieldingly pressing them into engagement with the ratchet teeth, and means for interrupting drill steel rotation while percussive actuation of the drill steel continues including pai/vl trip means also continu.- ously held against substantial axial displacement longitudinally of the motor and control means therefor for eecting Arelease of and holding the pawls, against the action of said yielding paWl pressing means, out of engagement with the ratchet teeth, and a remotely located control meansA operable at will for controlling said trip means control means..

l0. In a rock drill, in combination, apressure fluid actuated hammer motor for percussively actuating a drill steel, drill steel rotation mechanism for rotating the drill steel as the latter is percussively actuated includinfx relatively rotatable ratchet and pawl carrier elements arranged in coaxial relation and-continuouslyheld against ratchet teeth, and a Valve embodied in the drill for controlling the new of. actuating fluid to said pawl release eecting and holding means.

1l. In a rock drill, in combination, a pressure fluid actuated hammer motor for percussively lactuating a drill steel, drill steel rotation mechanism for rotating the drill steel as the latter is percussively actuated including a ratchet ring fixed and continuously held stationary as regards rotative and longitudinal movements relative to the hammer motor, said ratchet ring having internal ratchet teeth a pawl carrier arranged within and rotatable relative to said ratchet ring and having pawls yieldingly engaging the ratchet ring and means for yieldingly pressing the pawls into engagementwith the ratchet teeth, and fluid actuated means operable at will for interrupting drill steel rotation While percussive actuation' of the drill steel continues comprising means normally freely rotatable. relative to said ratchet ring for eiectingwhen'held against rotation release of and holding the paWls, against the action ofy said yielding pawl pressing means, out of engagement with the ratchet teeth, and a Valve Aem@-r bodied the drill for controlling theflow of actuating fluid to saidnpawlrelease effecting and holding means;

12. Ina rock drillQthe combination with drill steel rotation mechanism including relatively rok-k tatalole ratchet and pawl carrier elementsQmeans rifle bar, and a drill steel to be rotated, of means for .interrupting drill steel rotationf comprising ka normallyrotatable `trip member adapted to be held stationaryfor effecting release of the pawls from the teeth ofthe ratchet' element, :a fluid actuated member movable into engagement with said trip member for holding the latter stationary', and'fmeans operable at Wi1l-for controlling the supply of actuating fluid tosaid'holding memv I ber for effectin'gactuaticn of the'latter.

FRANKESINCLAIR. 

